Cologne events may start the end of Merkel’s career - Deutsche Welle expert

January 10, 3:25UTC+3BERLINThe expert said that many heads of state and government of the EU states considered Merkel’s handling of the migrant crisis to be erroneous

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BERLIN, January 10 /TASS/. Mass migrant attacks on German women that took place in Cologne on the New Year night will aggravate the migrant crisis in the European Union, Bernd Rigert, an observer for the Deutsche Welle media company, said on Saturday.

The expert said that many heads of state and government of the EU states considered Merkel’s handling of the migrant crisis to be erroneous. "In all probability, she will either have to change her policy or step down as the chancellor," the expert added.

According to him, the scandalous New Year attacks in Cologne have taken the already hard situation in the European Union almost to a deadlock.

"What’s happened can mark the beginning of the end to the career of Angela Merkel who used to have such a great influence in Europe," Bernd Rigert said.

"The attacks on women in Cologne are strengthening the positions of politicians who are opposed to the policy of receiving refugees. It is hard time for the chancellor," Rigert emphasized.

Even prior to the Cologne attacks, it was clear the European Union was unlikely to work out a common migrant policy.

"Now that the mass attacks in which many refugees took part have taken place and the police attempts to stop the outbreak of violence ended in a fiasco, it will be absolutely impossible to reach an agreement on rational distribution of refugees among the European Union states," the Deutsche Welle observer said.

It looks as if Angela Merkel can give up and forget for a long time its intention to regulate the resettlement and distribution of refugees in the European continent not only on a voluntary basis but in a long-term perspective. Mr. Rigert said the incident had produced a reaction beyond Europe. U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump is using the Cologne incident in his election campaign.

Angela Merkel has also come under serious internal political pressure. It is obvious that Merkel will be unable to live up to her promise given to the Christian Social Union party to decrease the number of migrants in the country.

"She can no longer rely on the European solidarity," the Deutsche Welle expert stressed.